Before Jana Nayagan, Vijay had Mersal — the movie mired in controversy over its critical take on GST, medical malpractice and Digital India

Thalapathy Vijay's Mersal centres on the rampant medical malpractices in the country and the government's inability to ensure free and quality healthcare for its citizens.

While Jana Nayagan is struggling to reach theaters on the earlier announced date of January 9, due to the non-receipt of the certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), fans of ‘Thalapathy’ Vijay are reminded once again of the tumultuous days leading up to the release of Mersal (2017), helmed by Atlee, which was also rocked by numerous controversies. Even as Jana Nayagan is facing resistance solely from the CBFC, Mersal encountered objections from various quarters, with political parties and even a section of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) raising concerns over the movie’s content.

Starring Vijay in a triple role, Mersal centres on the rampant medical malpractices in the country and the government’s inability to ensure free and quality healthcare for its citizens. The movie’s turbulent period began when producer A Rajendran of Film Factori approached the Madras HC regarding the movie’s title, claiming he had registered similar titles, Merrasalaitan and Naan Merrasalaitan, with the Tamil Film Producers Council in 2015. He pointed out that he had been renewing their registration every year. Although the High Court initially restrained Thenandal Studios, the producers of Mersal, from using the title, it later vacated the order after concluding that there was no illegality in its use.

Much like Jana Nayagan, Mersal also had a run-in with the CBFC, as the board denied certification to the movie because the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) hadn’t granted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for it over the alleged use of certain animals in the film without its permission. However, the AWBI eventually approved the movie, issuing an NOC certificate that mentioned that more than 110 animals had been used in the film.

Afterwards, Mersal found itself embroiled in a political controversy when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) objected to the movie’s “incorrect references” regarding the Goods and Services Tax (GST). The party’s then state president, Tamilisai Sounderrajan, reportedly said, “Incorrect references have been made in Mersal about GST. Celebrities should desist from registering wrong information among people. What do they (the filmmakers) know about GST and its economics? Such incorrect references should be removed from the film.”

One of the BJP’s then national secretaries, H Raja, criticised the actor, alleging that he was running a “hatred campaign” against the Narendra Modi government. Raja went a step further and attacked Vijay over his religious identity as a Christian. The movie’s humorous take on the Digital India initiative also drew criticism from certain segments.

The next group to attack Mersal was medical professionals over the portrayal of doctors and government hospitals. While the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors’ Association reportedly called the depictions “untrue and in bad taste,” the state unit of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) ran a social media campaign urging the medical community to boycott the film.

Meanwhile, a week after the movie’s release, a lawyer filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the High Court seeking the revocation of the movie’s censor certificate for allegedly portraying the country in a poor light and propagating purportedly misleading information about its healthcare sector and the GST.